The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-21
CHEAP TELEGRAPHY.
Senator Cullom's Bill to Establish
System Of Government
Wires.
Four Million Dollars Asked OF Congress
to Construct the First Ten
Lines.

Senator Cullom of Illinois has intro
duced a bill to establish the United States
Postal Telegraph" as part OF the postal
system of the United States. Following is
summary of the measure:
It calls for an appropriation OF 81, 100000, and
provides for the construction OF the following
trunk lines One from Washington to Portland.
Me-, via baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia,
Jersey City. New York. Brooklyn. New Haven,
Hartford, Providence and Boston; one from
Washington to Minneapolis. via Pittsburg.
Cleveland. Toledo. Chicago. Milwaukee, Madi-
son. Lacrosse, and st. Paul one from New
York City to Cleveland, via Albany. Syracuse, I
Rochester and Buffalo; one from T, pitts5grs I 70
dianapolis, St. Louis, and Kansas City; ono
from Toledo to Detroit one from Washington
to Galveston. via Richmond. Charlotte, Column
bia, Augusta, Atlanta, Montgomery. and New
Orleans one from Chicago to New Orleans via
Indianapolis, Louisville. Nashville. Memphis,
and nioksburs ONE from chicago nn from 70 81 hcan
to San Francisco, via Des Moines, Omaha,
Cheyenne. Salt Lake City, and Carson City and
one from CHEYENNE to Denver.
Postal telegraph Offices are to be opened at
the places named and ut all intermediate points
at which first, second, or third class postofnces
are esta blished Branch lines are to be con-
structed from time to time, the intention being
to connect the lines with all cities where the
postal free-delivery system prevails, but no
additional facilities are to be provided in
States a ready connected with the trunk lines
until postal telegraph offices have been estab-
lished in every State and Territory. The sys-
tenn is to be constructed in straight lines, as
near as practicable, but regard is to be aiken Of
cities that will afford the best telegraphic
facilities to the public.
The lines are to be constructed by the En-
gineer Corps of the army and then transferred
to the custody of the Postmaster General. The
poles are to be of iron, the wires OF copper, and
all other materials Of the best character.
Eight wires are to be strung on the line from
New York to Chicago. and four upon other
lines. The Secretary OF War is authorized to
use the military service lines OF the United
States as far as expedient, and also TO make all
necessary COMBINATIONS of lands or buildings
at a fair compensation. All disputes as to what
is fair compensation are to be settled by the
thorized to construct, take anu use oil ma
chinery and devices, not including telegraph
lines, whether patented or not, as shall be
deemed necessary, the compensation to be de-
termined in the same manner as condemna-
tons of land.
A rate OF 10 cents for each two words and
8 cents for each additional ten ds Is liked
for distances of under 500 miles and an addi-
tional rate of cents for each $50 miles over 500.
A night rate of 30 cents and day rate of 70
cents is fixed for each 100 words transmitted for
newspapers except that where the same dis
patch is dropped off at more than one Office the
rates shall be rs cents and 81 cents respectively
for each dropped copy.
The office OF Director General OF Telegraphs
is created part of the Postoffice Depart
ment. IL is made the duty of the Postmaster
General TO report to Congress- after tho passage
OF the act, plan for the complete organization
of the postal telegraph system, with detailed
estimates OF men and money needed. Before
the system is put into operation and employees
selected examinations to be held by the
Civil Service Commission to determine the fit
ness of applicants.